0:00:04 > 0:00:06In a far corner of the Earth
0:00:06 > 0:00:09is a South American wilderness.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20These extreme landscapes are home to strange
0:00:20 > 0:00:22and wonderful animals.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26GENTLE ROAR
0:00:26 > 0:00:29From the rugged peaks of The Andes...
0:00:32 > 0:00:35..across the scorched desert steppe...
0:00:37 > 0:00:42..to coasts battered by some of the roughest seas on the planet.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Living here takes guts and determination.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53There are incredible opportunities for some.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00For others, it's a battle to survive.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11The pioneering spirit unites them all
0:01:11 > 0:01:13under the spell...
0:01:15 > 0:01:16..of Patagonia.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Patagonia is a land of two extremes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30The west is a lush wonderland.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35But the east is a different story.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43A world battered by the wind.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Then baked by the sun.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54This is a journey that blows from the Andes mountains
0:01:54 > 0:01:55to the Atlantic coast.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Through Patagonia's increasingly tough desert,
0:02:01 > 0:02:07where life copes by reinventing itself in weird and unique ways.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25An Andean condor.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28One of the heaviest flying birds in the world.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Held aloft on huge wings.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Three metres from tip to tip.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Making the most of Patagonia's powerful winds.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Winds borne far out to sea.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Driving across thousands of miles of ocean.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Laden with moisture, they race towards Patagonia.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16And crash into a formidable barrier.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22The Andes mountains.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25WIND GUSTS
0:03:34 > 0:03:38These high peaks strip the clouds of virtually all their moisture.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48Over three trillion tonnes of fresh water locked up in glaciers...
0:03:50 > 0:03:52..going nowhere.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02The winds still blow,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06but now they're freezing cold and very dry.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14They sweep eastwards from the Andes...
0:04:18 > 0:04:21..on a journey towards the Atlantic coast.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23WIND GUSTS
0:04:31 > 0:04:33The winds blow so fiercely that those who live here
0:04:33 > 0:04:38call them La Escoba de Dios - The Broom of God.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52In the foothills, the world they create is like no other.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Open moorlands bustling with life.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15And unexpected wandering herds.
0:05:40 > 0:05:45A male guanaco, wild ancestor of the llama.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48At this time of the year, his main concern
0:05:48 > 0:05:51is keeping an eye on his harem.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Young bachelors are intent on stealing his females.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03GUANACO BLEATS
0:06:20 > 0:06:24On the edge of the herd, one female has concerns of her own.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Giving birth to a calf
0:06:27 > 0:06:30with legs nearly a metre long.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47GENTLE BLEATING
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Whist Dad is preoccupied with the bachelors,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55a grey fox is taking an interest.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15Mum takes no chances.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37The new addition takes its first faltering steps.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Joining the family herd.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Even Dad is curious.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10After giving birth, the females quickly become fertile.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15They must mate again soon -
0:08:15 > 0:08:17and the bachelors know it.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28The male's entire harem is now at stake.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35One bachelor makes his move.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38The female spits her disapproval.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The male leaps into action.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51FIERCE BLEATING
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Using razor-sharp teeth...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03..he aims for his challenger's testicles.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05An emasculating bite.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Necks are protected by specially thickened skin.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24These fights have no rules.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31The battles are exhausting.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01The challenger is driven off.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10His masculinity intact, the male enjoys the rewards whilst he can.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29As the wind barrels across the slopes,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31it is twisted into ephemeral spirals.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Spinning Patagonia's mysterious flying saucers -
0:10:41 > 0:10:45lenticular clouds constantly whipped by the swirling winds.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02On the ground below, the challenge is how to cheat the wind.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The stunted vegetation is sculpted and armoured.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13BIRDSONG
0:11:16 > 0:11:20But under its protection, delicate flowers bloom,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22hidden from the shredding blasts.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30This is gavilea, a southern specialist.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35An Andean sweet pea,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38its fragile petals saved from the wind.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41And the porcelain orchid,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45named after the delicate cracks that adorn its petals.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48It relishes these cold conditions.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57These spirited blooms each exploit a chink in the hostile climate.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12And it's not just the flowers that are keeping their heads down.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14BIRDSONG
0:12:16 > 0:12:20On the edge of this lake, one bush looks a little different.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Darwin's rhea -
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Patagonia's largest bird.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Like the bushes around,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40it's hunkered down to avoid the worst of the icy wind...
0:12:41 > 0:12:43..keeping something precious warm.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52A clutch of up to 50 eggs,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54each ten times the size of a hen's egg.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00But this isn't Mum - this is a dedicated father.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05These eggs were laid by many mothers,
0:13:05 > 0:13:08but they all have a single father,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10and he's now incubating them alone.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16For 40 days, he will barely eat or drink as his clutch develops.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25When dads can finally stretch their legs,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27they stride out with family in tow.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45Four rhea chicks, all sporting a mint humbug camouflage.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52In a rhea's world, it's all about growing up fast.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58Building up fat reserves to insulate against the cruel winds.
0:14:15 > 0:14:20Plants, insects and even lizards are all snapped up.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30They'll grow to Dad's three-feet height in just over eight months.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Whilst the chicks can hardly see over the grass...
0:14:41 > 0:14:44..Dad's long neck allows him to keep an eye out for danger.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59With Dad on the lookout, the chicks can get back to
0:14:59 > 0:15:02eating their way through the Patagonian scrub.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11A flightless single father is unusual for a bird.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18But in Patagonia, those that survive often find unexpected solutions
0:15:18 > 0:15:19to the challenges they face.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Small pools dot the foothills,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30formed from the meagre winter snow.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34They provide a refuge for an unlikely wanderer.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Chilean flamingos.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Flamboyant and seemingly fragile,
0:15:46 > 0:15:48they are, in fact, hardy nomads,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51living over 50 years.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57After a freezing night, ice has formed on the water.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Soon, they won't be able to feed,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07so they must leave before they become trapped.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Flamingos can travel over 300 miles in a day, looking for a new lake.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43But as they head east, away from the mountains,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45not any old lake will do.
0:16:49 > 0:16:50It must be shallow.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Salty, but not too much.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Ideally warm, getting lots of sun.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Then, like this lake,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08it will be teeming with the tiny crustaceans the flamingos eat...
0:17:14 > 0:17:17..which give their feathers such dramatic colour.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Their tongues pump vast quantities of water through their bills,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27sieving out the microscopic food.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Filtering the lake as fast as they can.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39It's essential, as they can't bank on where they'll find their next meal.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46The winds are still blowing,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50but now the powers of the wind and the sun combine.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58Together, they start to strangle the lake.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08As it evaporates, its chemistry changes,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11gradually killing off the flamingos' food.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Tempers begin to flare.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Once again, they must leave
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and resume their search for the next perfect lake,
0:18:30 > 0:18:32racing the power of the sun.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Ahead of the flamingos, everything changes.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47The foothills give way to the Patagonian Steppe.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55A vast landscape nearly 300,000 square miles,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59three times the size of Britain.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06East of here, the wind is warmer and the sun hotter,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and the more difficult life becomes.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18The soils here are too dry for trees.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Instead, another plant has the upper hand.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30This is the kingdom of grasses.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Over 50 species.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Tough, shiny leaves defy the bone-dry wind.
0:19:55 > 0:20:00The first Europeans to see this land weren't so impressed.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Even Charles Darwin said it was "wretched and useless".
0:20:08 > 0:20:10But this land is very good for something.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19These grasslands produce some of the finest wool in the world,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22from some of the finest sheep in the world.
0:20:25 > 0:20:26The merino.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Patagonia's dry air keeps the sheep cleaner.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Their whiter fleeces are prized by the fashion houses of Europe.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44Once a year, Patagonia's eight million sheep are rounded up.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50SHEEP BLEAT
0:20:55 > 0:20:57SHEEPDOG BARKS
0:21:09 > 0:21:11It's been said that the culture and economy here
0:21:11 > 0:21:13is built on a sheep's back.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27As the gauchos bring in the sheep...
0:21:31 > 0:21:33..the shearers are on their way.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44They travel the Steppe, living, sleeping
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and eating together for months on end.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55Cesar Gueide has been shearing sheep for 25 years.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59TRANSLATION:
0:22:33 > 0:22:36DOG BARKS
0:22:43 > 0:22:44The flock gathers.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57The shearers are ready.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30TRANSLATION:
0:24:59 > 0:25:03TRANSLATION:
0:25:09 > 0:25:13FAINT SINGING AND WHISTLING
0:25:22 > 0:25:23WIND WHISTLES
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Making a living in these rolling grasslands is all about
0:25:38 > 0:25:39being part of a community.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47They all seek a home out of the wind.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02The architect of all this is the big, hairy armadillo.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04ARMADILLO SNIFFS
0:26:14 > 0:26:16He scratches a living searching for grubs
0:26:16 > 0:26:19and beetle larvae hidden underground.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24His sense of smell is acute.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28He can detect food buried under 50 centimetres of soil.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40Inside his nose are special filters to keep out the dust.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43He can breathe where others would suffocate.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49He works his way around the Steppe...
0:26:54 > 0:26:55..excavating as he goes.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02While he does, others are taking advantage of his tunnelling skills.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08A burrowing owl.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13And his mate.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19With no trees for shelter, the Steppe wind drives them underground.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24So an old armadillo burrow makes for a snug home.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38They have a strong, lifelong bond.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50But their domestic bliss is threatened
0:27:50 > 0:27:52by nightmare neighbours.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Maras.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Perhaps Patagonia's oddest animal.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09It's like a guinea pig on stilts.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Patagonia's answer to an antelope.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16She's also looking for a burrow.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20But they're in short supply -
0:28:20 > 0:28:24so the maras take them by force.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27That doesn't go down well with the owls.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41They're only eight inches tall, but don't give up without a fight.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48There's a lot at stake for the mara, too.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55She needs the armadillo's burrow just as much -
0:28:55 > 0:28:56for her pups.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02This one's only a day old.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05He was born eyes wide open and fully furred.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16He'll share this nursery with up to 40 others.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Burrows are vital to his survival.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Whilst his parents can sprint from danger,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32his only defence is to dive underground.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51Today, the community's a hive of activity.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54The maras graze,
0:29:54 > 0:29:56the armadillos trundle about...
0:29:57 > 0:30:01..and the owls...well, they take it easy.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07And for the newborn, it's time to play.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL
0:30:24 > 0:30:26Before long, the pups are hungry.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Each mother only feeds her own.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34Their smell is unique, so she sniffs each one.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45But the others still try their luck.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52So every female is harassed by hungry mouths.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL
0:30:58 > 0:31:01The newborn joins in - but he's in for a shock.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12He tries again and again.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17But female after female drives him away.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Desperate for a meal,
0:31:29 > 0:31:31he tries one last time.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48And his courage is rewarded.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50This is HIS mother.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04This community's success goes to show that with a little help,
0:32:04 > 0:32:06you can make a home in the Steppe.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17These rugged landscapes have, over the years,
0:32:17 > 0:32:21attracted people seeking freedom and a fresh start.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31The original Patagonians were nomads,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34but the new settlers wanted to put down roots.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44In 1865, Welsh pioneers set up a new homeland along the rivers.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53This was to be a Welsh utopia, far from English influence.
0:32:57 > 0:33:02By pulling together, this fledgling community, 153 strong,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04made farmsteads from the wilderness.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Life was tough,
0:33:08 > 0:33:11but they had a lifeline that kept their remote settlements together.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14It still does today.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15TRAIN WHISTLE
0:33:24 > 0:33:27La Trochita - The Little Gauge.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34Better known as the Patagonian Express -
0:33:34 > 0:33:36a steam train in miniature.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39TRAIN WHISTLE
0:33:45 > 0:33:48La Trochita was built to open up the Steppe.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52A vital link, transporting settlers in
0:33:52 > 0:33:54and wool and livestock out to the coast.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01It's still going strong,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05lovingly maintained by Carlos Kmet and his team.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10TRANSLATION:
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Even with La Trochita,
0:34:38 > 0:34:42the Steppe remains one of the most sparsely populated places on Earth.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Carlos relishes his link to Patagonia's past.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32TRAIN WHISTLE
0:35:34 > 0:35:36La Trochita survived,
0:35:36 > 0:35:40but the unpredictable climate really tested new settlers.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48In 1902, the famous bank robbers Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
0:35:48 > 0:35:51escaped here to invest their loot.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Butch declared, "This part of the country looks so good,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59"I like the place better every day".
0:35:59 > 0:36:01But life proved too tough.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05After just five years, they packed it in -
0:36:05 > 0:36:07only to die in a Bolivian shootout.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16Monuments to failed ventures still haunt the Steppe today.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Halfway across the Steppe, the winds begin to lose their power.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31The sun takes control.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Success in the stifling heat
0:36:42 > 0:36:45depends on the ability to seize the day.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53One creature is determined not to miss his chance.
0:37:06 > 0:37:11Patagonia's male wandering tarantulas are searching for love.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20This male's spent four years reaching maturity.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22But in two months, he'll be dead.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27He's in a serious hurry.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31He'll barely eat or sleep.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37This is what he's looking for.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Silken threads left by a female.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46Impregnated with her pheromones,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50chemical love letters advertising her availability.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53They lead him to her lair.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06She can live for 30 years.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09She's seen many suitors in the past.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17He taps a seductive rhythm to tempt her out.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21She replies.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29For him, this is a very dangerous liaison.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34He eyes her up.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39If he's not her type, she'll eat him.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55But this male has a talent for seduction.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02He tenderly stokes her body.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11She relaxes, opening her fangs,
0:39:11 > 0:39:13allowing him to move closer.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24He carefully delivers his packet of sperm.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33During mating, the female falls into a trance-like state.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40She stays like this for several minutes.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45He has to make a quick getaway before it wears off.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56For tarantulas, lingering goodbyes are generally fatal.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08The winds are coming to the end of their journey,
0:40:08 > 0:40:10reaching the edge of the continent.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Yet here,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15Patagonia is at its most brutal.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22This is a true desert,
0:40:22 > 0:40:25and also Patagonia's most mysterious landscape.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44For most of the year, there's not a drop of rain.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51It's so hot and arid little can survive here today.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58But this was once a lush forest.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06It's littered with tree trunks now long dead.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Over millions of years, they've been petrified.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Turned to stone.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21They're evidence that the steppe was once far wetter.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26But that changed catastrophically.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30Seven million years ago,
0:41:30 > 0:41:34the rising Andes mountains reached their full height.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39The mountain stole the rain,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43transforming Patagonia's climate for ever.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52A reminder that entire worlds can be snuffed out
0:41:52 > 0:41:55when the elemental forces of nature collide.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Within touching distance of the Atlantic,
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Patagonia's desert is at its most extreme.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22Yet life triumphs even here.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Not a mirage -
0:42:37 > 0:42:38a penguin.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44She's on a mission,
0:42:44 > 0:42:46walking deeper into the desert.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Her lifelong mate is waiting for her.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10Just one couple in the largest penguin colony in South America.
0:43:14 > 0:43:16Magellanic penguins,
0:43:16 > 0:43:18over half a million of them.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24So the competition for burrows often boils over.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36Magellanics have short fuses.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40They aim for bare patches of skin
0:43:40 > 0:43:42where blood vessels are closest to the surface.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05The damage looks worse than it is,
0:44:05 > 0:44:08but he'll think twice before stealing another's burrow.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19This couple have come to the desert for one reason -
0:44:19 > 0:44:21the dry air.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28Their new chicks are covered in a fluffy layer of down.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37Despite the searing day,
0:44:37 > 0:44:39nights are cold,
0:44:39 > 0:44:41so the down is essential for warmth.
0:44:47 > 0:44:48But if it gets wet,
0:44:48 > 0:44:51the chicks will chill and die.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56So everyone suffers in the heat.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07Each day, their parents take turns trudging to the sea
0:45:07 > 0:45:10across a mile of desert.
0:45:14 > 0:45:15Dad's feet are leathery -
0:45:15 > 0:45:17protection from the burning sand.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34Finally.
0:45:34 > 0:45:35The ocean is a welcome relief.
0:45:41 > 0:45:43He'll swim miles out to sea,
0:45:43 > 0:45:46fishing tirelessly for over eight hours.
0:45:52 > 0:45:54Back at the burrow,
0:45:54 > 0:45:55it's tough for Mum.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59With her thick feathers and a layer of fat,
0:45:59 > 0:46:02she's in danger of overheating.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07But, despite the heat,
0:46:07 > 0:46:08she can't doze off.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10The colony is not safe.
0:46:16 > 0:46:18Kelp gulls.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23They skulk around the colony
0:46:23 > 0:46:25searching every burrow
0:46:25 > 0:46:27looking for unattended chicks.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34They won't try anything with Mum around.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42The gulls keep her on her toes,
0:46:42 > 0:46:44but the main threat to her chicks
0:46:44 > 0:46:46is the desert itself.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50Their only source of water's within the food
0:46:50 > 0:46:53their parents bring back from the sea.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Around them, the gulls are making the most of early casualties.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29But these chicks are lucky.
0:47:29 > 0:47:32Dad emerges from the dust,
0:47:32 > 0:47:34his stomach full of fish and squid.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45Food and drink in one gulp.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59For this couple,
0:47:59 > 0:48:02100 days of trudging the desert lie ahead,
0:48:04 > 0:48:08before their chicks are old enough to leave the colony,
0:48:08 > 0:48:10heading out to spend winter at sea,
0:48:13 > 0:48:16saying goodbye to Patagonia
0:48:16 > 0:48:17for another year.
0:48:26 > 0:48:31The theft of rains by the Andes mountains may have destroyed a world,
0:48:31 > 0:48:33but, in doing so,
0:48:33 > 0:48:34it has created a new one.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40A windswept land to the east...
0:48:44 > 0:48:48..an arid world of plucky and adaptable survivors...
0:48:50 > 0:48:55..pioneers who take on a punishing combination of elements
0:48:55 > 0:48:59and, against all the odds,
0:48:59 > 0:49:00they triumph.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18Patagonia has a rugged beauty,
0:49:18 > 0:49:22and the jewel in its crown is Torres del Paine,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25famous for its iconic granite towers.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29It's where the Patagonia team have come to film two creatures
0:49:29 > 0:49:31during the brief spring.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36Their aim is to capture the birth of a wanako
0:49:36 > 0:49:40and a rhea father with his newly-hatched chicks
0:49:40 > 0:49:45and, to do so, they turn to the people who know Torres best,
0:49:45 > 0:49:47Chilean film-makers Christian Munoz-Donoso
0:49:47 > 0:49:50and his son Christiaan Munoz Salas,
0:49:50 > 0:49:52also known as Doco.
0:49:54 > 0:49:57They would each take on one of these challenges.
0:50:00 > 0:50:03With Doco is director Hannah Hawe.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05Their mission was the rhea family.
0:50:05 > 0:50:08Rheas are massive. They're Patagonia's biggest birds.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10I just didn't think it would be that hard to find them.
0:50:10 > 0:50:14But I hadn't really banked on the scale of the landscape.
0:50:14 > 0:50:19It's just vast, and rheas are incredibly well-camouflaged.
0:50:19 > 0:50:20They just vanish.
0:50:22 > 0:50:25From a distance, every rock looks like a rhea.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29They needed extra help, so local rancher Juan led them
0:50:29 > 0:50:31to the spots he knew.
0:50:36 > 0:50:40So, Juan is just going to check the route ahead for us.
0:50:40 > 0:50:41There's a bit of a, er...
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Well, from here, it looks like a bit of a cliff.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45He's just going to check if there's a route down.
0:50:45 > 0:50:46It's his land, so...
0:50:48 > 0:50:50..whatever he says goes.
0:50:51 > 0:50:53It's not his car, however.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55Ooh!
0:50:55 > 0:50:56CAR DOOR SLAMS
0:50:58 > 0:50:59BIRDSONG
0:51:02 > 0:51:04Finally, a rhea.
0:51:04 > 0:51:05But too far away.
0:51:07 > 0:51:08And not stopping.
0:51:11 > 0:51:13Rheas run at nearly 40mph.
0:51:13 > 0:51:14BIRDSONG
0:51:23 > 0:51:26But if the rheas were proving difficult,
0:51:26 > 0:51:29the guanaco team seemed to have the harder mission -
0:51:29 > 0:51:31to film a mother giving birth.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47Very soon, they saw a welcome sight.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02Getting close wasn't the problem.
0:52:06 > 0:52:09But they'd missed the birth, and only by minutes.
0:52:13 > 0:52:17But for the rhea team, Patagonia had unleashed its powerful winds.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23They're called the Broom of God.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25Gusting over 100mph...
0:52:26 > 0:52:28..and making filming impossible.
0:52:28 > 0:52:29WIND ROARS
0:52:31 > 0:52:34I can't... I genuinely can't stand up!
0:52:34 > 0:52:35HE LAUGHS
0:52:36 > 0:52:38WIND ROARS AND WHISTLES
0:52:50 > 0:52:51HE LAUGHS
0:52:55 > 0:52:56HE EXHALES DEEPLY
0:52:57 > 0:52:59CAR ENGINE WHIRS
0:52:59 > 0:53:01The next day, the wind dropped.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06The rhea team had a new lead.
0:53:07 > 0:53:11But Christiaan had a word of warning before they went their separate ways.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19HE CHUCKLES
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Like any father, Christiaan was concerned for their safety.
0:53:40 > 0:53:43If we encounter pumas, what... What's the protocol?
0:54:03 > 0:54:05THEY LAUGH
0:54:05 > 0:54:06OK.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Bye.
0:54:08 > 0:54:09Off we go.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11Puma country.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13Hyunh!
0:54:13 > 0:54:15I'm sticking with you, Doco.
0:54:15 > 0:54:16SHE CHUCKLES
0:54:21 > 0:54:22Here is...
0:54:23 > 0:54:26..the first sign I've got that we are...
0:54:26 > 0:54:29definitely in puma country. Not much left of that.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32I guess that was a guanaco.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46Finally, a rhea that was staying put.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52But as soon as we found the rhea, I forgot about the pumas.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55It was the closest we'd managed to get to one.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58He was sitting on a nest and he wasn't going anywhere.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02He just sat tight on that nest.
0:55:02 > 0:55:04And we just had to do the same.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06BIRDSONG
0:55:06 > 0:55:10They needed this dad to have chicks beneath those feathers.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13After five hours, he stood,
0:55:13 > 0:55:16only to reveal that there were no chicks, just eggs.
0:55:18 > 0:55:22And rheas can sit on their eggs for five weeks before they hatch.
0:55:24 > 0:55:26It was disappointing.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30We just didn't have time to sit with him and wait for them to hatch.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32It was really gutting.
0:55:32 > 0:55:34But we had to move on.
0:55:34 > 0:55:38Down the road, for the guanaco team, it was all kicking off.
0:56:06 > 0:56:10Suddenly, there were chulengos appearing all over the place.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37The guanaco mission was complete.
0:56:40 > 0:56:43But the rhea team were running out of options.
0:56:43 > 0:56:46They had one last tip they could check out.
0:56:46 > 0:56:51We'd been told about a lake where rheas are often seen.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53It was called Lake Nandu, which is
0:56:53 > 0:56:57the local Spanish word for 'rhea', which I thought was a good omen.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04After a couple of tense hours scouring the horizon...
0:57:07 > 0:57:11I've just seen a rhea with his chicks.
0:57:11 > 0:57:13He's just come over the big hill.
0:57:13 > 0:57:15His chicks were just a few days old.
0:57:19 > 0:57:20BIRDSONG
0:57:22 > 0:57:26And this time, Doco managed to get the shots that he needed
0:57:26 > 0:57:30that helped us tell that story of our dad with his little chicks.
0:57:30 > 0:57:32It was a huge relief.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36Sometimes, it's the things that you think are going to be easy
0:57:36 > 0:57:39that take you by surprise and prove to be the most difficult.
0:57:54 > 0:57:58It just goes to show that you can never second-guess Patagonia.
0:58:00 > 0:58:01BIRDSONG
0:58:06 > 0:58:10Next time, we travel along Patagonia's coastline,
0:58:10 > 0:58:13from the turbulent, freezing waters of Cape Horn...
0:58:15 > 0:58:18..forging northwards over 1,000 miles...
0:58:20 > 0:58:25..where rich ocean currents favour those who dare to be different.
0:58:25 > 0:58:26SEALS BARK AND SNARL